The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-02-23
The eesTs or GREAT sToRgsl

THE PESTS OF GREAT sToRgss
Respeefabt Looking Women Iylso steal
RociSetbsoiSs-- sptomaIsIacss 9 8
Women rickpecltefs GENERALLY arob
women. the nalc pick ocketS confining
their operations to working crowded cars
and wIiils lsine v tclIc5 On crowded streets.
The watch wringers are veryr slillftll.
Tlrcy cen feel a mans watch through tie
heaviest clothing, and by an almost I'M
I peTccptibloa niot'c1llctlI can draw il from
the pocket, wrin.s il frorn tilc chain, place
! the chain back in the pocket and disap-
pear IN the crowd before the victiilI tiis-
covcfs hislloss. These fellows generally
work in pairs: ono of them. called the
stall = distracts the attention of tie VIC
tim, either l,y juStlin liiril or into
an alteration with. him, while his part
ner, who is known rs the tool; - aeftly
removes the watch. icrs. is also another
class ofnlalc thieves known as the 'scaba
worker. /" This kind cf gentry generally
work alone and 'sdp' stores and rRiIfuad
stations Their IlloSts opefalidi is to
snatch a GAIA l1lsila the owner IS not
looking and leave ndumny in IFS place.
The stolen calia is relieved of its com
tents, taken to another store or stsltitm.
where. if an opportunity occurs, 1t re-
places another C.siisi which the owner
IiI;iy liate lot ing oii 4 cotins
Ger while purchasing goods IN some other
department. cf the store. Sometimes n
gooi GAIA worker will get several hun
dred doiiasS in a day, Us nearly illMolnen
shoppers carry their purses in their c;lbas,
AMI no woman thinks of going shopping
without lllethoric purse, except tbs
shopper WHO never does anything bu.
look, and the experienced caba workf r
knows her at glance and gives her n
wide berth.
Tie female pickroc!cts arc the most
successful workers in crowded stores.
They are generally III pairs and arc known
MS the stall and her wire" The
..stall' is generally respectable looking,
well dressed woman. who is always in q
hurry and anxious to examine goods ut n
counter crowded with cu.tomols. She
talks to her wire" III n Iatronizin3 way.
The wire" calls her miss or ma,l;un, all
of Which impresscS the crowd with the
''stallts' Importance. and in n hustling,
brstling sort of way she forces herself
through the crowd, tosse4S the goods
around the counter, attracts the attention
of the customers and distracts the atten-
ton of the salcspcoplc. while the wire
gets ller work in ON the pockets or carries
away stray calm. There are probably
moro llocict5ooks picked OF of counters
than are taken from pockets; or cabas.
Tho detectives in the large establishments
are always or the lookout for the shawl
racket" This is generally worked by
women who dress plainly and have the
appearance of hard working and honest
housewives. They generally work around
the Handkerchief counter, where they
can easily toss the goods. They will
watch until they see some customer lay
her pockctlooli on the counter, when
they will approach, deftly cover the COW
ctetI spoil with whatever is nearest at
hand. and while asking the price OF seine
article which they will spread out ON the
counter with one hand they will, under
cover OF the shawl, which is slkillfully
thrown over the pile eoncealing thcpurse,
abstract the plumber from its silug little
nest and transfer it to some convenient
| pocket.
In tho course of conversation with the
head of the detective department a. Il dry
| goods establishment, IIc said: There is
very little pocket picking done in tie
Ttrgc stores now. Nearly all the expert
professionals nre dcad or pat away.
Those still plying the trade are SO well
known tlr;t they are afraid TO operate in
establishments where experienced de-
| tectives are continually on the watch for
them. If you want to see some expert
'st.lliug' and wiring done. just watch
the crowds block the Isayements in front
of the sllew windows. II is there the
thieves gather their harvest. Entliusias-
tir young women and benevolent looking
old gentlemen 80 into rllalpsodies over tho
beautiful thugs il the windows. They
tl,o
crowd
Sometimes new hands will work the
stores but we can generally f7et ON to
them, for thieves are always suspicious
and will always.look around to soc tliat nc
one is watching. before they begin opera
tiOns. If they think any one is spottinG
them, thcywil begin spotting themselves.
We can nearly alHrays'lctcct them in that
way. The people who give us the mosi
trouble are shorliftcrs and pilfercrs.
Very frequently tlIep;lferers are children
and not infrequently they arc respectfully
connected. They generally lift small ar.
| ticlcJ that are easily concealed. and it i
very hard to detect them i'll the act. u
| they may Ike accompanied by parents ol
other persons Who should ut least lsc sup
posed to be innoeent of completely with
tllem. Many articles arc taken by klep.o-
lnaliiacs, or 'kleLrs,' as they are called
These people arc generally well to 10
and merely steal because they have
periodical attacks of the disease, and
white under its influence are almost a.
expert as professional slloplifters. Tllcy
are generally known, however, not enlS
to the detective but to the salespeopEe
and the goods are always paid for bS
their relatives. p Philadelphia Times.
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